Denis Ribouillault: Calypso's Grotto: Art, Nature, and the Metamorphic Power of Love

The lecture will focus on the theme of Calypso's Grotto in early modern art. This mythical place sung by Homer in the Odyssey has been the subject of numerous interpretations in the visual arts and garden design, touching on issues such as the relationship between art and nature, illusion and imagination, and their relation to amorous passion. The aim of this lecture is to take a fresh look at certain aspects neglected by Panofsky's iconology but central to Homeric poetics: the narrative and emotional power of natural elements, especially rocks. The cave will therefore be analysed not as a mere setting, but as the main protagonist of the artwork, in constant dialogue with the characters who inhabit it. Examples will range from the XVI to the XVIII centuries.
Videos Denis mentions at the end:
www.dailymotion.com/video/x5o...
• Les 12 travaux d'Astér... (from 22.45 to 28.27)